Chapter FOURTEEN

Power and Politics

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 AA Definition
Definition of
of Power
Power

Power
A capacity that A has to influence
the behavior of B so that B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes.

Dependency
B’s relationship to A when
A possesses something
that B requires.

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 Contrasting
Contrasting Leadership
Leadership and
and Power
Power
 Leadership  Power
– Focuses on goal – Used as a means for
achievement. achieving goals.
– Requires goal – Requires follower
compatibility with dependency.
followers. – Used to gain lateral
– Focuses influence and upward
downward. influence.
 Research Focus  Research Focus
– Leadership styles – Power tactics for
and relationships gaining compliance.
with followers.

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 Bases
Bases of
of Power:
Power: Formal
Formal Power
Power
Formal Power
Is established by an individual’s position in an
organization; conveys the ability to coerce or
reward, from formal authority, or from control of
information.
Coercive Power
A power base dependent on fear.

Reward Power
Compliance achieved based on
the ability to distribute rewards
that others view as valuable.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Bases
Bases of
of Power:
Power: Formal
Formal Power
Power (cont’d)
(cont’d)

Legitimate Power
The power a person receives as a result
of his or her position in the formal
hierarchy of an organization.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Bases
Bases of
of Power:
Power: Personal
Personal Power
Power
Expert Power
Influence based on special
skills or knowledge.

Referent Power
Influence based on possession
by an individual of desirable
resources or personal traits.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: Drawing by Leo Cullum in The New Yorker, copyright ©1986 E X H I B I T 14–1
The New Yorker Magazine. Reprinted by permission.
E X H I B I T 14–1

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Dependency:
Dependency: The
The Key
Key To
To Power
Power
 The General Dependency Postulate
– The greater B’s dependency on A, the greater the
power A has over B.
– Possession/control of scarce organizational resources
that others need makes a manager powerful.
– Access to optional resources (e.g., multiple suppliers)
reduces the resource holder’s power.
 What Creates Dependency
– Importance of the resource to the organization
– Scarcity of the resource
– Nonsubstitutability of the resource

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 Power
Power Tactics
Tactics

Power Tactics
Influence
InfluenceTactics
Tactics: :
Ways in which • • Legitimacy
Legitimacy
individuals translate
• • Rational
Rationalpersuasion
power bases into persuasion
specific actions. • • Inspirational
Inspirationalappeals
appeals
• • Consultation
Consultation
• • Exchange
Exchange
• • Personal
Personalappeals
appeals
• • Ingratiation
Ingratiation
• • Pressure
Pressure
• • Coalitions
Coalitions
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 Preferred
Preferred Power
Power Tactics
Tactics by
by Influence
Influence Direction
Direction

Upward Influence Downward Influence Lateral Influence

Rational persuasion Rational persuasion Rational persuasion
Inspirational appeals Consultation
Pressure Ingratiation
Consultation Exchange
Ingratiation Legitimacy
Exchange Personal appeals
Legitimacy Coalitions

E X H I B I T 14–2
E X H I B I T 14–2

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Factors
Factors Influencing
Influencing the
the Choice
Choice and
and
Effectiveness
Effectiveness of
of Power
Power Tactics
Tactics
 Sequencing of tactics  How the request is
– Softer to harder tactics perceived
work best. – Is the request consistent
 Skillful use of a tactic with the target’s values?
 Relative power of the  The culture of the
tactic user organization
– Some tactics work better – Culture affects user’s
when applied downward choice of tactic.
or upward.  Country-specific cultural
 The type of request factors
attaching to the tactic – Local values favor certain
– Is the request legitimate? tactics over others.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Power
Power in
in Groups:
Groups: Coalitions
Coalitions

Coalitions
• • Seek
Seektotomaximize
maximizetheir
their
Clusters of individuals size
sizeto
toattain
attaininfluence.
influence.
who temporarily come • • Seek
Seekaabroad
broadand
anddiverse
diverse
together to achieve a constituency
constituencyforforsupport
support
specific purpose. of
oftheir
theirobjectives.
objectives.
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyinin
organizations
organizationswith
withhigh
high
task
taskand
andresource
resource
interdependencies.
interdependencies.
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyifif
tasks
tasksare
arestandardized
standardized
and
androutine.
routine.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Sexual
Sexual Harassment:
Harassment: Unequal
Unequal Power
Power in
in the
the
Workplace
Workplace
Sexual Harassment
– Unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and
other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
The U.S. Supreme Court test for determining if
sexual harassment has occurred:
– Whether comments or behavior
in a work environment
“would reasonably be
perceived, and is
perceived, as hostile
or abusive.”

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Steps
Steps for
for Managers
Managers to to Take
Take to
to Prevent
Prevent Sexual
Sexual
Harassment
Harassment
 Make sure a policy against it is in place.
 Ensure that employees will not encounter
retaliation if they file a complaint.
 Investigate every complaint and include
the human resource and legal
departments.
 Make sure offenders are disciplined or
terminated.
 Set up in-house seminars and training.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Politics:
Politics: Power
Power in
in Action
Action
Political Behavior
Activities that are not required as part of one’s
formal role in the organization, but that influence, or
attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages
or disadvantages within the organization.

Legitimate Political Behavior

Normal everyday politics.

Illegitimate Political Behavior

Extreme political behavior that violates the implied
rules of the game.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Politics
Politics Is
Is in
in the
the Eye
Eye of
of the
the Beholder
Beholder
“Political” Label “Effective Management” Label
1. Blaming others vs. Fixing responsibility
2. “Kissing up” vs. Developing working relationships
3. Apple polishing vs. Demonstrating loyalty
4. Passing the buck vs. Delegating authority
5. Covering your rear vs. Documenting decisions
6. Creating conflict vs. Encouraging change and innovation
7. Forming coalitions vs. Facilitating teamwork
8. Whistle blowing vs. Improving efficiency
9. Scheming vs. Planning ahead
10. Overachieving vs. Competent and capable
11. Ambitious vs. Career-minded Source: Based on T. C. Krell, M. E.
Mendenhall, and J. Sendry, “Doing
12. Opportunistic vs. Astute Research in the Conceptual Morass of
Organizational Politics,” paper
13. Cunning vs. Practical-minded presented at the Western Academy of
Management Conference, Hollywood,
14. Arrogant vs. Confident CA, April 1987.

15. Perfectionist vs. Attentive to detail E X H I B I T 13–3

E X H I B I T 13–3

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 Factors
FactorsThat
That Influence
Influence
Political
PoliticalBehaviors
Behaviors

E X H I B I T 14-4
E X H I B I T 14-4

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Employee
EmployeeResponses
Responsesto to
Organizational
OrganizationalPolitics
Politics

E X H I B I T 14-5
E X H I B I T 14-5

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 Defensive
Defensive
Avoiding
AvoidingAction
Action: : Behaviors
Behaviors
• • Overconforming
Overconforming
• • Buck
Buckpassing
passing
• • Playing Avoiding
AvoidingBlame
Blame: :
Playingdumb
dumb
• • Stretching • • Buffing
Buffing
Stretching
• • Stalling • • Playing
Playingsafe
safe
Stalling
• • Justifying
Justifying
• • Scapegoating
Scapegoating Avoiding
AvoidingChange
Change: :
• • Misrepresenting
Misrepresenting • • Prevention
Prevention
• • Self-protection
Self-protection

E X H I B I T 14–6
E X H I B I T 14–6

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Impression
Impression Management
Management (IM)
(IM)

Impression Management
The process by which IM
IMTechniques
Techniques: :
individuals attempt to • • Conformity
Conformity
control the impression • • Excuses
Excuses
others form of them.
• • Apologies
Apologies
• • Self-Promotion
Self-Promotion
• • Flattery
Flattery
• • Favors
Favors
Source: Based on B. R. Schlenker, Impression Management (Monterey, CA:
Brooks/Cole, 1980); W. L. Gardner and M. J. Martinko, “Impression • • Association
Association
Management in Organizations,” Journal of Management, June 1988, p. 332;
and R. B. Cialdini, “Indirect Tactics of Image Management Beyond Basking,”
in R. A. Giacalone and P. Rosenfeld (eds.), Impression Management in the
Organization (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1989), pp. 45–
71.
E X H I B I T 14–7
E X H I B I T 14–7

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Is
Is AA Political
Political Action
Action Ethical?
Ethical?

1. What is the utility of

engaging in the
behavior?
2. Does the utility
balance out any harm
done by the action?
3. Does the action
conform to standards
of equity and justice?

E X H I B I T 14–8
E X H I B I T 14–8

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter Check-Up: Power & Politics

Write down two differences

between power and leadership.
Discuss with a classmate.

Do all leaders have power? Does

everyone with power lead others?
Discuss.
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter Check-Up: Power & Politics
When you go to work, what three
things can you do to make people
in your organization dependent on
you? Write down your answers on
a sheet of paper.

Discuss your answers with your

neighbor. Do you think it’s bad to plan
how you’ll get power over others?
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter Check-Up: Power & Politics

What is the difference

between a power tactic
and an influence tactic?
Discuss with a neighbor.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.